Charting The Territories

Welcome to Chapter 6 of The McGuirk/Watts Wrestling Almanac, an in-depth data-driven look at the wrestling territory run by Leroy McGuirk (and later, Bill Watts). The territory is most commonly known as Tri-State Wrestling and/or Mid-South Wrestling, though neither of those names were actually used until September 1979 when Watts split from McGuirk. Each chapter covers a three-month period of time and will list our exclusive statistics: 1) SPOT (Statistical Position Over Time) Ratings, which measure a wrestlers average position on the cards 2) FEUD (Frequent Encounters Using Data) Scores, which measure the frequency and breadth of a series of matches between the same wrestlers (or tag teams) In addition, we list the advertised lineups for all known house shows in the territory during the time period, along with an index of newcomers and other wrestlers (special attractions, women, midgets, etc) that passed through the territory. Previous chapters: Chapter 1  (Q4 1959) Chap...

Welcome to Chapter 5 of The McGuirk/Watts Wrestling Almanac, an in-depth data-driven look at the wrestling territory run by Leroy McGuirk (and later, Bill Watts). The territory is most commonly known as Tri-State Wrestling and/or Mid-South Wrestling, though neither of those names were actually used until September 1979 when Watts split from McGuirk. Each chapter covers a three-month period of time and will list our exclusive statistics: 1) SPOT (Statistical Position Over Time) Ratings, which measure a wrestlers average position on the cards 2) FEUD (Frequent Encounters Using Data) Scores, which measure the frequency and breadth of a series of matches between the same wrestlers (or tag teams) In addition, we list the advertised lineups for all known house shows in the territory during the time period, along with an index of newcomers and other wrestlers (special attractions, women, midgets, etc) that passed through the territory. Previous chapters: Chapter 1  (Q4 1959) Chap...

Here's a look at Mid-South Wrestling in May 1980: the Freebirds become the "three 'Birds", Ken Mantell and Paul Orndorff continue their "hair-raising" feud, Ted DiBiase returns & more!

Here's a look at Tri-State Wrestling in May 1980: The Birdman flies into town, NWA World champ Harley Race defends the title against a couple of non-regulars & more!

Here's a look at the McGuirk wrestling territory in May 1976: the junior heavyweights are coming, Kox collects a bounty but is fined an amount greater than said bounty, two tag title changes & more!

To coincide with my recent appearances on the July 10th episode (#339) of the Jim Cornette Experience  and episode 102 of the 6:05 Superpodcast  discussing Charting the Territories, I've prepared a (not-so) brief primer to the statistics I have developed to quantify a wrestlers' role in a given territory at a given time, using data for Magnum T.A. and The Midnight Express in Mid-South Wrestling.